Message From the CEO

Most consumers wouldn’t equate helping their community with active involvement with their electric company. But ECI REC is not an ordinary utility company. We are a cooperative, and part of our business model is concern for the community. We are motivated by service to people, rather than profits for investors five states away. And ECI REC’s customers are more than consumers—they are members of the Cooperative. Therein lies the difference.

Our core mission is providing our members with safe, reliable, and affordable power in an environmentally responsible manner. After meeting our annual expenses, we invest the extra money back into ECI REC, and when possible into the wider community. We depend on the guidance and perspective of our members and Board of Directors to set priorities for ECI REC and guide our governance decisions. At our Annual Meeting, we raise issues for voting by the general membership. Our Board of Directors is comprised of members who live and work in our service area, because they are in a position to know where community investments are most needed.

We view ECI REC’s role in the community as a catalyst for good. We have numerous ongoing programs that impact the 11 counties we serve. The details and criteria of these programs are based on guidance and feedback from our members. Here are a few examples:

• We participate in the annual Youth Tour, sponsoring two local high school juniors to travel to the nation’s capital, meet with lawmakers, and learn firsthand how our democracy works.
• We have a scholarship program, offering twelve $1,000 scholarships.
• Our RECare program distributes funds via community action agencies to low-income energy consumers in Benton and Buchanan Counties.
• We work closely with our local schools to provide safety demonstrations and participate in career fairs.
• We support local businesses. Many participate in the Co-op Connections^® program. Qualifying businesses who are expanding or upgrading equipment may also apply for a loan through our Revolving Loan Fund.

More information about these programs is located under the Account Services and Community & News menus on this website.

We recognize the vital role ECI REC plays in energizing our local economy. But to innovate and more effectively serve our communities, we rely on you—our members—to provide guidance. Without your perspective, we cannot operate successfully and help our community thrive. This is why we value your participation in our Annual Meeting, held every June, and other ECI REC events. (The next Annual Meeting will take place June 17, 2021.) I hope you will attend and consider running for the Board of Directors. If you are interested in learning more about the duties of a Director, go to the website menu titled The Cooperative, and look at the links under Cooperative Difference.

East-Central Iowa REC was established to bring electricity to our area when no one else would. We are a reflection of our local community and its evolving needs. Together, let’s continue making our corner of the world a better place.